4 sought in transgender man’s beating death at homeless camp

BURLINGTON, Vt. — Police said Thursday they had obtained murder arrest warrants for four people in the death of a transgender man beaten last month at a homeless encampment.

The two men and two women charged Thursday in the death of Amos Beede were last known to be in Roswell, New Mexico. One of the men was arrested there on May 31 on charges he assaulted one of the women but later was released.

Beede was attacked on May 23 at a homeless camp in Burlington, the state's largest city, not far from the Lake Champlain waterfront. He died on May 28.

The suspects in his killing are identified as Erik Averill, Jordon Paul, Myia Barber and Allison Gee, who are fugitives. Police said the four are "wanted for murder."

Police initially said they were investigating whether Beede's gender identity contributed to his death, but there was no mention of that Thursday.

Burlington police said the four suspects are believed to be traveling in a vehicle that has been tracked by license plate readers operated by other agencies. The information has provided the location of the vehicle and its direction of travel.

Beede's family posted a statement on the website of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer advocacy group Pride Center of Vermont that said contrary to earlier reports he was not homeless. The statement said Beede's being transgender was an important part of his life. It said he was a "friend to many" who went to the homeless camp to support others in need.

"Amos lived a complicated life," the statement said. "He had his share of hard times. Maybe because of this, he was a loving and caring person, especially to those who lived in the margins of society."